Abstract
(Englisch)
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Short summary:
The project aims to elaborate a novel methodology for assessing the ecological status of European rivers in functional terms. This will be achieved by determining the performance of a key ecosystem-level process (litter decomposition). Field experiments on the effects of excessive nutrient loading (eutrophication) and modification of riparian vegetation will be carried out at 60 paired sites in ten ecoregions defined in the EU Water Framework Directive. They will be complemented by experiments aiming at a mechanistic understanding of process alterations and a literature survey to synthesise available information on river functioning. A river quality assessment tool will be built on this broad synthesis. Its developmental steps include the identification of a set of indicators and their critical thresholds, and the definition of the technical specifications of standardised procedures. Results will be compared with those of standard biological assessment schemes. The tool will be elaborated by a mixed consortium of scientists and end-user representatives. It will be disseminated to the scientific community, water and environmental agencies, potential stakeholders, and interested parties.
Scientific objectives and approach:
The RIVFUNCTION project thus aims at developing and disseminating a methodology for assessing the functional component of ecological river quality status. This goal will be achieved by determining the performance of a key ecosystem-level process (litter decomposition) in response to two types of serious and widespread anthropogenic impacts on European rivers. Field experiments on the effects of excessive nutrient loading (eutrophication) and modification of riparian vegetation will be carried out at 60 paired sites in ten Ecoregions throughout Europe. These investigations will be complemented by controlled experiments aiming at a mechanistic understanding of process alterations. In addition, a thorough literature survey will be conducted to synthesise available information on anthropogenic effects on river functioning. Sources will include published and grey literature as well as unpublished information available within the consortium.
A river quality assessment methodology will be worked out that builds on this broad synthesis. Its developmental steps include the identification of a suitable set of indicators and their critical thresholds (i.e. quantitative environmental objectives), and definition of the technical specifications of standardised procedures. The tool will be elaborated by a mixed consortium of environmental scientists and end-user representatives to ensure both a sound scientific foundation and practicability. It will be disseminated to the scientific community, water and environmental agencies, potential stakeholders, and interested parties.
Problems to be solved:
Degradation of rivers through pollution and changing land use continues to occur throughout Europe. Simultaneously, efforts are being made to preserve, restore, and manage river systems in a sustainable way. If such measures are to be successful and cost-effective, a sound assessment of ecological river quality status is essential. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) explicitly recognises the importance of ecosystem functioning in the ecological status of aquatic systems (Article 2, Annex V); however, an appropriate methodology for assessing the functional component of ecological river quality does not currently exist. Such a methodology will allow evolution of policies relating to surface waters, as functional assessment of river quality status extends the WFD classification scheme beyond its current reliance upon biological, hydromorphological and physico-chemical elements.
Expected Impacts:
We expect to demonstrate that anthropogenic pressures predictably affect litter decomposition in rivers, and that this process in turn can be used in quality assessment plans as a powerful indicator of ecological river status in functional terms. Consequently, we expect that the developed methodology, or modifications thereof, will be widely applied by European water quality and environmental agencies. It should ultimately be incorporated in the set of assessment procedures set forth in the WFD as the first quality element addressing the functional component of ecological river status. Demonstration of the usefulness of such a functional quality element for rivers is expected to trigger the development of analogous approaches for assessing the ecological status of both other aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These may be based on either the litter decomposition process, particularly in forests, or other ecosystem-level processes or both.
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